Sermon Tone Analysis

*Mission Accomplished:*

*Now:  Sons of God*

*1 John 2:28-3:11*

 

The Story of the watch

-        People’s Jewelers

-        OBC

-        Years

-        Finally needed repairs > costly

-        We were broke so I fixed up an old watch from my dad and tried to decide to sell the antique watch.

-        Daughter:  ‘Dad!

Why are you giving up tat watch?

We thought we would end burying you wearing that watch.’

-        That Christmas my wife gave me a new watch.

I did not understand.

All my family were watching me as I opened that watch.

It took a moment to see beyond the sparkle of gold that that new watch was actually my old faithful, completely rebuilt and refurbished.

-        I cried.

A gift given in love and with sacrifice.

The giver holds their breath > will it be accepted?

The last 4 weeks we have talked about God’s gift to us that first Christmas.

This morning > will the giver be satisfied as His gift is received?

So once again we are directed to look back to the purpose – the meaning of Christmas.

Why did Jesus choose to leave the glory, beauty and satisfaction of heaven and take upon himself the limitations and frailty of our human body?

Why did Jesus become a brother among us?

Why did God send His one and only Son to planet earth?

Again the answer we saw was in the name He gave His son that was about to be born of the virgin, Mary: 

/“20 …"Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him *the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."”*

/(Mt 1:20-21 NIVUS)

 

Jesus came to save the pinnacle of His creation,

·       the ones created in the image of their creator,

·       the ones who had received the very breath of God

o   giving them more than physical life,

o   but life of the spirit.

We know the unfolding earthy drama.

In order for Jesus to fulfill His mission,

·       He had to live in complete obedience to His Father – holy and blameless, without sin

·       He had to submit to the sacrificial death on the cursed Roman cross for the sins of others.

So as God watches to see how His gift – that first Christmas gift is received, what is He looking for?

·       Men and, throughout all ages, repenting of their sins, turning back to God, receiving the free gift of salvation, and living in the new life of the spirit, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

·       In other words, the mission will be accomplished when God sees the birth of sons of God as a result of His gift sent from heaven that first Christmas.

Is 53:10,11

/“10 ¶ Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, *he will see his offspring* and prolong his days, and the *will of the LORD will prosper* in his hand.

/

/11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light [of life] and *be satisfied;* by his knowledge *my righteous servant will justify many,* and he will bear their iniquities.”/

(Isa 53:10-11 NIVUS)

 

Mission Accomplished – God’s Servant, The Lord Jesus Christ, will be satisfied.

There is a song that says:

‘It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus…’

But here we read the opposite side of the coin: 

Jesus saying: 

‘It will be worth it all, when I see lost sheep now children of God entering into our kingdom.’

I was at my mom’s family reunion yesterday.

I was reminded of how messy and difficult family relationships can be.

We received guidance, direction, care, and discipline from parents who were less than perfect.

However in my case, parents who loved us and who loved God.

I have seen, and many of you have experienced what it has been like to grow up in dysfunctional families.

God gives us two parameters in order to live together as part of His family:

the example to follow of love

and commands to follow as to how to show that love.

Why do people obey?

Either they love God or they fear punishment.

[When both break down then you have chaos.]

Commands Help Us Love:

Until a few years ago, there were no laws about child safety seats and automobile restraint systems.

Tragically, many young children were not safely belted in their seats, and they died in car accidents.

Today, though, laws prohibit children from riding in a car without a child seat facing the right direction and properly installed.

Even new mothers need to have the seat installed before talking a child home from the hospital.

Of all the expressions of human love, there is probably no more pure and beautiful love than that of a parent for a child.

Yet, when a child's safety is at stake, it seems a parent's love is not always enough.

Parents did not always do what was best for their children.

Many parents needed a law or boundary to ensure that their love for their children did not fall short of perfect love.

God knows the same is true of our love and devotion toward him and other people.

He knows our feelings are not enough.

We needed laws and boundaries in the form of commands to aid us in loving him and other people fully.

/Troy Dean, Fullerton, California/

 

My love for my wife is not enough.

If I choose to look at another beautiful woman,

look and consider,

then allow my feelings free reign,

I – a man – will discover sexual arousal that left unchecked turns to adultery.

Therefore God’s command – do not look upon another woman with lust.

That’s the command that must be obeyed if I am to show true love to my wife.

Now, why did my dad teach me this law?

Not to limit me but to show me the path of love which provides true joy and freedom.

(Dad – that’s both my earthly dad and my heavenly dad.)

Now if there’s law – there are also consequences.

One consequence:  discipline by my father!

Heb 12:7

 

/“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.

For what son is not disciplined by his father?”/

(Heb 12:7 NIVUS)

 

Discipline is pain intentionally inflicted by a person in authority in order to direct behavior away from actions which will lead to consequences much more serious and severe than the pain of the discipline.

Look, look again at the first Christmas gift.

Have you ever seen such love?

The gift of sonship into God’s family!

Given to those who deliberately rebelled and walked away like the prodigal son.

Given while we were still sinners – enemies of God.

 

/“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:….”/

(1Jo 3:1 AV)

 

Look at our passage in 1 John 2:28